


Star Crossed

by LawofJo



Category: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Drama, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Implied Relationships, Mute Link (Legend of Zelda), Pre-Calamity Ganon, Romance, Tragedy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-20
Updated: 2019-08-20
Packaged: 2020-09-07 21:36:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,202
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20316394
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LawofJo/pseuds/LawofJo
Summary: A sequel to Secret Wedding. In the final hours before the rise of Calamity Ganon and the fall of Hyrule Kingdom, love is reflected upon before it's snatched away in moments, the future left to lie in the hands of the torn apart princess and hero.





	Star Crossed

There was only him. Outside, everything was on fire. Decimated. Dead. Obliterated without a trace. Outside, her kingdom was in ruins. Her friends and family gone forever. The Champions. Her father. To lose them all shattered her. Beyond repair, nearly beyond any will to fight at all. There was nothing she could do to bring them back.

And now there was only him left.

A chance remained that she could survive, go on living without her loved ones. She could overcome this. But if she lost _ him? _No. Her splintered yet still repairable pieces would disintegrate into dust and be carried away by the wind. He was so much more than just her hero, he was… everything. She would have lost hope, lost faith in herself so long ago if it hadn’t been for him. There were days when his love had solely kept her going.

By Hylia’s grace, that had finally awakened in her not a moment too soon, she could not lose him as well.

“I’m here.” Zelda’s arms were immersed in the icy blue water, wrapped around the bare battered form of her knight. Her husband. She shuddered when her fingers found the gaping open wound in his back from a near-fatal guardian’s blast. One of the many times he had shielded her, not only out of duty to his princess, but out of fear. Fear of watching the light leave her eyes, just as she had watched his.

Purah stood nearby, her head jerking to glance over her shoulder at every explosion, every roar of malice that consumed the world beyond this shrine’s walls, her mind working frantically for a way to get the princess safely to her sister Impa in Kakariko Village. Still, she restrained herself from disrupting Zelda’s final farewell.

“You’ll be alright now, Link. This shrine is fully operational.” A small chuckle escaped her throat. “R-remember when we— we couldn’t get it to work at first? And you tripped and fell right into the switch that activated it?” She realized her quiet laughter had become gentle sobs, tears flowing unrestrainedly from her exhausted eyes into the enormous basin. He couldn’t hear her. He may not have spoken, but she knew he had always been listening.

Cradling his limp head above the waterline, Zelda tucked it into her shoulder, embracing him so closely that not a breath of air moved between them. “Link,” she wept into his ear, “This shrine, you— it may cost you your memories. You won’t remember the Calamity, the Champions, your family… and you won’t remember me.” She pressed her forehead to his, letting her tears splash and roll along his still face. “I’m sorry. But you must live. You _ must _survive this.” She couldn’t bring herself to say his recovery might take years, decades even. She could not assure him that she would be here to wait for him when he returned. Even though he was deaf to her words, Zelda refused to tell him anything that was uncertain.

“Princess,” Purah said sharply when an explosion sounded particularly close by.

“I love you,” Zelda whispered, kissing Link’s lifeless lips one last time. A fierce, desperate kiss she could barely bring herself to pull away from. “I will always love you. And my faith in your return will never perish.” Her grip relented, shivering as she pulled her arms out of the pool. She could barely see Link’s form disappear beneath the surface through blinding tears that gushed like rivers, washing the smeared mud from her face. Hylia’s being now coursed through her veins, not only in power but in heart and soul. Thus the Goddess’ grief doubled hers, making the agony twice as unbearable.

_Of course._ _Hylia had lost her hero, too._ She was so stupid not to have seen it before. The love Zelda had for the boy with the hero’s spirit had truly been the key all along. And if she had understood that from the beginning, none of this would have happened. It truly was all her fault.

But the time to wallow in sorrow had passed. She knew what she had to do now to make it right.

Reaching down, her fingers grasped the cold hilt of the Master Sword, holding it tightly by its ornate scabbard in the other hand. “Let me pass,” she ordered the young Sheikah woman. Purah obeyed without question, sensing the Goddess’ presence in her radiant form. Her jade green eyes were now hard, resolute, furious despite being awash for her fallen knight.

No one asked where she was going as she exited the shrine, and Zelda was not sure if she could answer even if they did. All she knew was that Link would awaken someday. And the sword that sealed the darkness needed a place to rest until then.

* * *

_ Six hours earlier _

Link secured the belt strap against his chest, ensuring the Master Sword was firmly against his back. He reached over his shoulder and grabbed the hilt, pulling it out of the scabbard and pushing it back in. Then once more, out and then back in. He had to be able to access the blade at a moment’s notice, for who knew what he and the princess might encounter in their long trek up the mountain. A pit that had settled in the middle of his stomach that morning lurched a bit. _ Once more, _he thought. Out and in.

With his boots buckled and hair tied back from his face, he descended the darkened stairs from his loft. It was still very early, maybe five-thirty or six o’clock, the sunrise having yet to make its appearance. Link felt so weighted and melancholy that he had been sure a grey clouded sky would greet him upon opening the shutters. No. It was a clear twilight speckled with lingering stars. What had brought on this feeling, then, he didn’t know.

Beneath his fingerless gloves, he felt for the plain wooden ring on his left hand and gave it a turn for luck. Today was Zelda’s seventeenth birthday, which meant she could finally make the journey to Mount Lanayru. And he, being seventeen himself, would be able to accompany her. The night before, they had sat together overlooking the sunset against the distant peak, leaving their horses back at the entrance to Sanidin Park. Their arms wrapped around each other, the princess— his wife— turned her face into his chest, as if she could hide away from the impending ritual at the unfamiliar Spring of Wisdom.

“If only we could use that stasis rune on ourselves,” she murmured, her finger idly tracing the pattern of the sword on his blue tunic. “Freeze ourselves in time, so this night… this _ moment _can last forever.” Her voice began to tremble, “But we can’t.”

Link cradled her head in his hand, pressing kisses to her hairline and blotting away the tears on her cheek that had begun to spot his tunic. _ “Then we have to make the most of these moments, don’t we?” _He had managed to muster a whisper for her, eliciting a small smile from Zelda.

“Why are you always right?” She pressed her nose into his collarbone, gently inhaling his comforting scent of grass and maple wood. “Link… I’m frightened.”

He was too, but even alone with the person he loved and trusted more than anyone, he wouldn’t dare express it aloud. The hero who wielded the sword of evil’s bane wasn’t allowed to be afraid.

“I’ve had this awful premonition for weeks now, and it’s only gotten stronger.” She shook her head, feeling her beloved’s arms tighten around her, a hand rubbing soothing circles into her back. “But no one else would believe me if I told them. To my people… even my father… I’m just a failure.”

He had promised her she wasn’t a failure, that she was strong enough to conquer anything she put her mind to, but it had done little to console her. He had offered to sneak in and spend the night with her, but she regrettably insisted she needed to begin clearing her mind for the ritual the following day. So he made it a point to set out for the castle to retrieve her as soon as possible.

“Link?”

He froze in the living area, his attention turning to a lone lit candle beside a figure seated with her hands twisting her skirt tightly. Aryll, his younger sister, gazed up at him with wide inquisitive grey eyes that appeared puffy around the lids. “Where are you going? It’s so early.”

_ “I have to escort the Princess to Mount Lanayru,” _ he signed, taking a moment to sit beside her when he saw how upset she was. _ “Why are you up so early?” _

“I’m still apprenticing. All the seamstresses are on call for the Princess’ birthday gala tonight.”

_ “That doesn’t answer my question.” _

Aryll looked away quickly, but not before her brother caught the glitter of a tear dripping down her cheek. “I had a nightmare. Isn’t that dumb? Crying over a nightmare?”

_ “It’s not dumb,” _ Link insisted, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. All things considered, even though she basically ran the household while Link and his father were gone _ and _ balanced an apprenticeship at the castle, Aryll was still a child. _ “Do you want to talk about it?” _

She shook her head and stared at the wall, eyes round with quiet terror as another tear fell, landing on her hand clenched in her lap. “It… it was just awful, okay?”

_ “Okay.” _ He gave her a tight hug and kissed the top of her head. _ “Zelda and I should be back by early afternoon. No matter what happens, tonight is a celebration and we’ll be there.” _

“Hey, big brother?” Aryll asked, her shoulders relaxing at the change of subject. “I think you should tell everyone tonight that you and the Princess are married.”

Link bit his lip. _ “We’ll see.” _ He had a feeling Zelda would not be enthusiastic about that idea. If it didn’t go well at the spring, the strains between her and the king were sure to snap. Not to mention Link was on thin ice with his own father as well, who had accused him of letting his affections get in the way of his duty to Hyrule. _ “If I say yes, will you tell me what’s on the menu for tonight?” _

“Sorry, it’s a secret to everyone— even Princess Zelda’s appointed knight,” she shrugged with a sly smile, watching her brother’s face pout in disappointment.

_ “Your evil puts Ganon to shame,” _he signed, sending Aryll into a fit of giggles. If there was anything he was looking forward to as much as sneaking away for some alone time with Zelda, it was the food.

“Anyway, you better go.” She shoved his shoulder away, but Link was still concerned that she was too upset to be left alone. “Don’t worry, I’m fine.”

_ “If you’re sure.” _ He stood and checked the accessibility of the sword one more time before heading towards the door. _ “See you tonight.” _

“Yep, see you tonight,” Aryll waved as the door shut behind him. And now, she truly was alone with nothing but the visions that had paralyzed her. The silence was deafening, suffocating, so still that she gasped when the wind sounded outside. The gusts were getting stronger, louder than a hurricane on Hateno Beach. It felt like something was coming. Something to snatch her father and brother away, just like in the nightmare, before it came for her as well.

“What was that?” she whispered to no one, hugging her knees up to her chest, her nails digging into the fabric of her skirt. Turning away from the window, the child curled into a ball and sobbed quietly with her head in her arms, tears pooling into her lap. “What _ was _that…?”

* * *

At the foot of the grand staircase leading to the west wing of Hyrule Castle, the silence of the early dawn was only broken by the clicking of Urbosa’s long nails against the wooden banister. Knowing the princess would be in a fragile state on the morning of her seventeenth birthday, she had insisted she be the champion to keep watch over her and her knight until they met up with the others. 

What a trivial errand— or as Revali would call it, “asinine.” For once, she had to agree with him. The king held his daughter in such low regard to think her affections for Link would deter her from ten rigid years of training, and it made the chieftess’ blood boil. Poor Mipha never let her feelings get in the way of her duty as a champion, so why on earth would Zelda? What of Urbosa herself, who harbored quiet guilt on behalf of the Gerudo race for the monster the ancient King of Thieves Ganondorf had become? This did not weaken her, in fact it only fueled her fire.

She let out a long sigh, letting her hand drop down to the hilt of the scimitar on her hip. It wasn’t right. There were long conversations with Daruk where she had said this over and over again, and still the words turned in her mind. Thrusting these children into this war _ wasn’t right, _prophecies be damned. Zelda deserved every scrap of happiness she could attain rather than be bombarded with the lie that she wasn’t enough, no matter what she did. And Link? There was light and playfulness behind that stoic expression, Urbosa had caught small glimpses of it here and there. It saddened her deeply that the burden of the sword seemed to have crushed it all. At least, until he and the princess had found each other.

Soft footsteps echoed down the staircase, and she turned to see Zelda in her white ceremonial gown, waving her hands silently to dismiss the handmaidens flanked on either side of her. “Happy birthday, my little bird,” Urbosa said quietly, to which Zelda managed a smile.

“I’m glad it’s you this morning,” she said heavily once she reached the bottom step. “I don’t think I can stomach Revali’s tactlessness right now.”

“I certainly won’t be able to stomach it after we defeat Calamity Ganon and he finds some way to give himself all the credit,” Urbosa grumbled. They walked along the empty hallway in silence, the Gerudo woman glancing down at the young princess out of the corner of her eye. Her golden head remained bowed, eyes half closed as if both concentrating and meditating at the same time, a state in which Urbosa knew it was not best to disturb her. Accessing her birthright, the sacred sealing magic of the queens who came before her, took every ounce of her inner strength.

“Do… do you believe without a doubt that we’ll be victorious?” Zelda cleared her throat, “I mean, I know you will be. You and the others. And Link. But I—”

“Your power will awaken today, Princess.” She didn’t know what had possessed her to say it so certainly, her voice ringing out as if it were a proclamation to her people. Perhaps it was simply because she couldn’t bear another doubtful word from Zelda born of years of pressure as a royal of Hyrule. Her mother had sadly not been around to dispel that doubt, so it fell to her to pick up the task. It seemed to break her pensive state, the girl staring up into Urbosa’s narrowed emerald eyes before giving her a brief nod.

“You’re right. It has to awaken today, doesn’t it?” She exhaled sharply, pushing her loose hair behind her pointed ears. “Where is Link?”

“He’ll be here any moment. You know he likes to make an entrance.”

“He does not,” Zelda insisted, her tone hiding a smile.

“Oh really? He does know these towers have _ doors, _right? He doesn’t have to scale every wall he sees.”

“He says it keeps him limber.”

“Ah yes, at the elderly age of seventeen, it’s hard to remain limber.”

That finally got Zelda laughing, covering her mouth so it did not echo through the vacant chambers. “Urbosa stop, I need to remain focused today,” she said only half-heartedly.

“I enjoy seeing you smile,” Urbosa remarked in tones so warm, Zelda was sure her mother would have sounded the same. “And no one makes you smile so often the way Link does.”

A soft shade of pink crept along Zelda’s cheeks. “Is that when you knew I loved him?”

“Oh no, Princess,” Urbosa chortled heartily. “I knew you loved him from the very first day you ducked into Gerudo Town to avoid him.”

“What? But I was so awful to him then!”

“Yes, you stormed into my private quarters and did nothing but complain about him.” Her eyes sparkled, “For three hours. _ ‘Why won’t he stop staring at me with those bright piercing blue eyes’?” _

“Alright, I get your point,” Zelda cut her off, her cheeks now flaming red. Her fingers anxiously intertwined with each other, grabbing the wooden ring on her left hand and twisting as firmly as a child might hug a stuffed animal to get through a thunderstorm. More than anything, she wanted a hug from Urbosa who had become something of a foster mother to her over the years. But just like with Link, affection wouldn’t be proper while she was on duty. She did, however, run a hand over the top of her head as they rounded the corner.

“Well well, we were just talking about you,” Urbosa mused at the young man who turned from examining the massive stained glass painting of the Hero of Twilight to see them approaching. Zelda’s face lit up like a lantern in a cold dungeon and she quickened her steps towards her knight. Link nodded with a smile to the Gerudo champion before taking Zelda’s hand, bending at the waist to kiss it. _ Clever boy, _ she thought, _ finding loopholes in the king’s senseless policy. _A kiss on the hand was not uncommon among knights to noblewomen, so no one would suspect Link truly meant the kiss for the princess’ lips.

“Oh _ Link,” _Zelda breathed happily when he produced a batch of silent princess flowers from behind his back. “Thank you, they’re just lovely.” She turned to the servant waiting in a nearby alcove, “Myrium, would you put these in a vase by my bed please?” The woman bowed and scurried off with the bouquet, leaving the three of them very much alone in the silent corridor. Urbosa could see how the two young people gazed at each other, barely concealing a hunger that only deep passion could produce. Zelda gave her a pleading look, and with a sigh, she knew she was wrapped as tightly around the princess’ finger as Daruk was around Link’s. Neither of them could forbid anything when that building passion peaked.

“Briefly, we have to meet up with the others soon,” Urbosa relented. Taking Link’s face in her hands, Zelda pressed her lips to his, the tension in her body melting in this singular moment of bliss. Link gripped her upper arms and drank in the taste of her love, only allowing himself a minute before he pushed himself back from her.

_ “We shouldn’t,” _ he signed, his eyes darting between Zelda and Urbosa. _ “Not this morning, and not in the castle.” _

“I know,” Zelda whispered only to him. Her nails dug into the front of his tunic, clinging like a cat to a tree branch before she willed herself to part from his embrace. Urbosa watched the light leave her eyes, replaced with the dull complacency of her mental preparation for the spring. Link’s own gaze lowered to the ground sadly, his hand rubbing the back of his neck as if ashamed that he had no way to console her. Urbosa turned away and bit her lip. It just wasn’t _ right. _

“Shall we?” the Gerudo woman said firmly, walking closely behind the couple as they made their way out into the cool early morning air. “We’ll meet the others at the East Gate of Lanayru. Revali will have the spicy elixirs that should last your entire trip there and back. Hopefully some extra, just in case.” She laid a hand on Zelda’s shoulder, “Take your time. You’ve worked for this moment since you were seven years old, and you are bound to succeed.”

“Thank you, Urbosa.” Zelda’s weakened voice betrayed the dread in her heart that not even Urbosa’s assurance or the silent strength in Link’s presence could quell.

_ I wish I knew what to say, little bird. I pray every day for your efforts to bear the fruit you deserve. And… _ Urbosa closed her eyes for a moment, swallowing the painful lump in her throat. _ You’re not the only one who wishes your mother was still here. _

The Queen, her dearest most treasured friend and partner. The loss still weighed on Urbosa as if it happened yesterday, and not a day went by that she didn’t visit a temple just to speak with her spirit, hoping she was listening. She had promised her to be the mother to Zelda that she could no longer be. But in watching the princess crumble from each failure time and again, Urbosa could not help feeling that some of that failure rested solely on her. Failing Zelda, and failing a cherished loved one.

Letting Zelda walk a little ahead of them, Urbosa then cupped Link’s shoulder to get his attention. “You are not her escort today,” she said a bit more harshly than she intended, but the boy didn’t flinch. “Nor her bodyguard. Today you have to be her husband, and her husband only. She has strength enough to scale the mountain and endure the winds. What she _ needs _is protection from the thoughts that weaken her soul. Can you be who she needs you to be?”

Link turned slowly to look at her. He had garnered a reputation for being an emotionless fighting machine, but his eyes told a different story. His feelings were internalized, but Urbosa could see they were there. Earnest, focused, determined. And when it came to Zelda, fiercely protective and devoted. Finally Urbosa could smile when he gave her a short nod in response to her question.

_ Don’t worry, my friend, _ she prayed silently. _ Your daughter is in such good hands. _

* * *

“What do you mean I was supposed to bring extras?!” Revali cried out indignantly as Urbosa scowled down at the four servings of spicy elixir he had brought. “Do you know how long it took me to brew those? Ten minutes!”

“And what exactly were you dragged away from to make these elixirs for ten whole minutes? Another attempt at a record breaker?”

“For your information, I was repairing a circuit that had gone haywire in Vah Medoh!” The Rito warrior’s beak curled, folding his wings over his chest as his eyes darted to Daruk. “I suppose there isn’t anything from Goron City that might be of use for the Princess’ trek.”

“Nope, these elixirs just keep you from exploding into fire when you’re near lava,” Daruk shrugged down at his own satchel.

“Charming image,” Revali simpered.

“Here, look.” Mipha reached over and removed two of the vials from the bag, holding them up for everyone to see. “The red liquid in this one in my right hand is murkier than the one in my left. That means it will last over fifteen minutes. The other, I would guess may last around eight or so.” She turned to Zelda, who had remained quiet and somewhat unperturbed by the goings on around her. “How long do you believe the entire process will take, Princess?”

“I-I would guess less than an hour,” Zelda muttered.

Urbosa exhaled hard through her nostrils, flinging the bag back into Revali’s wings. “Then I suppose four of them will suffice. But the next time you do the bare minimum, I won’t let you off so easily.”

“Besides, the little guy brought a bunch of these warm furs to wear just in case,” Daruk praised Link’s initiative, giving him a hard pat on the back that nearly sent him flying.

“Which were handmade in Rito Village,” Revali grumbled, earning another hard glare from Urbosa.

“It’s fine, it’s all fine,” Zelda insisted, taking the satchel of spicy elixirs and passing one to Link. “Before we go, I just want to say that no matter what happens, thank you. Thank you all for your courage, your intelligence, your skill and your dedication. Hyrule is eternally in your debt.”

“Of course,” Mipha said, bending at the waist respectfully.

“We’re with you until the bitter end,” Daruk rumbled, pumping his fist in the air so high he nearly took out the top of the gate’s archway.

“Good luck,” Revali said shortly, sure to let everyone know how miffed he still was.

“And be safe up there,” Urbosa added.

Zelda took in the four of them, standing in a line like the row of troops they were, offering her varying degrees of encouragement, and it touched her heart more than they would ever know. She wanted to bask in this moment, certain that their opinions of her would change should she not succeed in awakening her elusive power. She hoped they wouldn’t, but there were a lot of things she hoped for that never seemed to come to fruition.

A brisk wind blew down from the intimidating height of Mount Lanayru, and Link nodded to her to indicate that it was time. Leaving the Champions behind them, they walked silently to the base of the mountain and uncorked their elixirs. The liquid burned and prickled as it slid down Zelda’s throat, but the moment her sandaled feet touched the snow, the unpleasantness had been worth it. No bitter cold bit her skin, no frigid wind froze her bones, it was like an invisible aura had appeared around her to block out the tundra. It was tradition for the princess of Hyrule to make this journey on foot, no horses or carriages to aid her. And while many of her predecessors had made the journey alone, she considered herself fortunate to not have to.

_ “Are you warm enough?” _Link signed to her just as the incline of the path was beginning to strain their calves.

“Yes, I’m fine,” she replied, holding her skirts in her hands so as not to snag her shoes. “Thank you again for last night. I was in a very troubled place, and your confidence eased me. I… I really don’t know what I’d do without you, Link.”

_ “Nor I you,” _ he signed back, a small smile tugging at his lips. _ “You inspire me every day, every hour I’m in your presence. Easing you is the very least I can do.” _With that, he took a woolen blanket from his pack and wrapped it around her shoulders, shielding her from the rapidly falling snow. As he drew closer, Zelda’s heart fluttered at the white flakes caught in his eyelashes that had already frosted the bangs of his wheat-colored hair. His nose, cheeks, and the tips of his pointed ears were all reddened from the cold that still could not permeate the effects of the spicy elixirs, but left behind a very endearing image of her husband’s face in its wake. Seizing him by the collar, she stole a quick peck on his chilly nose before their trek continued.

Aside from a few wolves that Link managed to ward off with his lit torch, no challenges appeared to prevent Zelda from ascending the mountain. Nature itself seemed to understand that she had a crucial mission that morning, or perhaps Hylia herself had extended her hand to guide her way safely. In either case, it was no time at all before the archway of the Spring of Wisdom came into view. She knew the stories, knew the ancient legacy, as well as the blessing and curse of the Triforce passed down through the ages. Wisdom was her birthright, the spirited virtue she coveted, and thus here is where she should have felt most at home. At the Spring of Courage, Link had been happier than she had ever seen him, while the two of them had felt eerily despondent within the Spring of Power. But when she left Link standing guard with his back to her and entered the cove, she felt neither happiness nor despair. The only thing that filled her mind and soul was the obligation she had to fulfill. The people, children, families, and the various tribes and races across Hyrule that were counting on her.

Surprised at how warm the holy waters were when she stepped into them, the princess waded in up to her waist, her eyes cast upward into the goddess statue’s blank face. It was all so repetitive, so routine to her, every inch of this ritual she could perform in her sleep, and yet she _ had _to put her heart into it as if it was her first time.

_ This has to work. It has to happen today. _

“Benevolent Goddess Hylia. You who first manifested your grace in the maiden who fell from the sky, who has placed her faith in the chosen heroes of time, wind and twilight, hear the prayers of your heir. I have loyally served you my entire life, and now that I have finally reached the age of wisdom, humbly beseech you to bestow your light upon me.”

It was here she was told something would begin to happen, but the statue and waters remained still. Once again, she repeated the words with more ardor. It was said her ancestors bore a triforce mark upon the back of their hands, but she bore no such mark. Nor did one appear. Again and again, she repeated her prayers, shouting them as tears ran from her eyes, even reverting to Ancient Hylian no one had spoken in several millennia.

A rush of ice coursed through her veins, but it was not due to the effects of the elixir waning. It was defeat. It was over. A decade of training for nothing— absolutely _ nothing. _Her knees gave out and with a splash, collapsed into the water, curling into herself. She was ready to howl with exasperation and anger, cursing the heavens, her own failure to be the leader Hyrule needed, and accept her fate as their useless princess. But even with tears flowing like rivers down her cheeks, Zelda couldn’t bring herself to break down. What she felt in the deepest recesses of her soul was more along the lines of… relief. She was free. She no longer needed to devote every moment of every day to praying. She no longer needed to worship a goddess who had clearly abandoned her, for Zelda already had someone she loved and cherished over everyone else. The crippling defeat of failing to access her sealing magic had become mercilessly paired with a numb sense of compliance.

Dragging herself out of the spring, she stumbled over to Link who whirled around when she approached, grabbing her by the arms when she nearly fell. He took in her disheveled water-logged dress and dulled eyes shedding countless tears and understood that no progress had been made. Zelda saw the faintest hint of sadness within his calm blue irises, felt him take her hand shriveled from the water and press it to his chest, she herself barely able to look him in the eye.

_ “It’s going to be alright,” _ he mouthed clearly so she understood. _ “You’ll find another way. You always do.” _

“We should go back.” They didn’t move for several moments after the words left her lips, Link waiting patiently for her to be ready. What had she ever done to deserve his patience? His compassion? These soft empathetic windows to his soul? Nothing, and yet it was all hers. Meanwhile she had done everything to deserve access to Hylia’s sealing power and had been denied three times. It was an arrangement that made no sense, and yet one Zelda would not trade for a thing in the world.

“Link,” she finally said with resolve, straightening her shoulders and opening her chest with a sense of agency. “Tonight at my birthday gala… I am going to present you as my husband to the entire kingdom.”

His distressed eyes widened so large she thought they might pop out of his skull. _ “What about your father?” _

“He will already hate me for failing to access my birthright. Disown me, even. I have nothing more to lose and neither do you. After tonight, we’ll be free to love each other whenever and wherever we desire.” She grasped his hands. “I don’t deserve much, Link. But I feel we deserve _ this _ much.”

_ “You deserve the entire world and then some.” _His lips formed the words so tenderly that it nearly pierced through Zelda’s numbed state. She could sense a hint of anxiety from him at her plan for that evening, but she was certain once the hurdle had been cleared it would be worth it. She could go back to her research, back to losing herself in the library, back to excavating ancient machinery from the depths of the castle catacombs. Her father had no hold over her anymore, and she should have been elated.

But the fact remained that this was a severe blow to their morale in defeating Calamity Ganon. Even if the others played their parts perfectly, even when Link used the Master Sword to deliver the final blow, there would be nothing to stop the beast of malice from resurrecting. The cycle would begin again. As it always had. As it would until the end of time.

Zelda didn’t realize that she had started to shiver until Link handed her another elixir, taking half of the blanket from around his form and wrapping her up so they could share it. Her hands shook so badly that a bit of red liquid dribbled down her chin and he used a corner of the blanket to wipe it away, his thumb passing over her lips for just a brief moment. Somehow her feet had begun to move, Link guiding her back down the mountain path, the wind at their backs now instead of working against them. Months ago, she would have wondered how he could be so calm at a time like this. Now she knew he wasn’t calm. She had learned to read the silent signs— the bobbing vein in his neck, the tightening of his jaw muscles, and against her cheek felt the quickening pace of his heart. Link had been genuine in his faith that she would find another way to seal Ganon, but that did not mean he wasn’t apprehensive about the situation at large. It crushed her to be so close to him and feel his fear.

Once the potion took effect, Zelda unravelled herself from Link’s blanket and hastened a pace or two ahead of him. She needed to think.

* * *

Mipha preferred to wait apart from the others until Link and Zelda descended the mountain. It was chilly closer by the East Gate, something that did not sit well with her nor her fellow Zora who thrived in the humid air of their domain. Urbosa and Revali were arguing again while Daruk tried to play peacemaker. A welcome change, as that was usually her job when the two most hot-headed Champions butted heads. But right now, she needed to be alone. For several reflective reasons.

She took a deep breath and let it out slowly, feeling her eyes beginning to burn as she leaned her head against a nearby cliff. She would not be able to bear it if the princess failed to access her magic today. What would they do? How would they be able to regroup from that? And more importantly, what could she possibly say to comfort her at such a dark hour? Zelda had become a dear friend, a graceful and kind soul that Mipha was proud to call her ally. She resented so many of her people who regarded Hylians as lower than the prideful Zora, even those like Muzu whom she had used to confide in as a child. But still, she had to protect them. She had to fight to the best of her ability. No matter how much her heart ached…

Before she had left her room early that morning, her eye caught the reflective lights glittering from jewels within her open wardrobe. The nearly completed Zora armor stared back at her. She had not touched it in over a month, not since the whisperings had reached her ears, confirming her heart’s deepest fear to be true. It was not a surprise. She had caught Link some time ago gazing at the princess as they sat together in the forest park, listening to her read aloud from an old tome. He had never looked at her like that. Not even after their night together atop Vah Ruta. It was then that she decided to withhold mentioning the armor to Link. It was a fool’s project, born of a foolish heart. When King Rhoam later informed the Champions of Link and Zelda’s marriage, and how he would need at least one of them at all times to keep an eye on them, Mipha had politely declined the task to the other three. She simply… could _ not _ watch Link walk with the princess, knowing how his heart burned for her.

Mipha became aware of a large droplet dangling from her pointed chin, feeling it drip onto her chest and cling like dew. Thick trails of tears she did not realize she had been shedding coursed down her cheeks, heartbreak bubbling in her throat and dribbling from her eyes. The Zora princess had suffered in silence, but only now had her hidden despair decided to manifest itself. What awful timing. She could not afford to let her emotions get in the way, not with so much at stake for Hyrule, and not when Link still needed her to play her part. So she had shut the door on the engagement armor forever, burying it along with any jealousy that had crept into her mind. Link was happy. He was in love with a wonderful woman who loved him back. All that truly mattered was his contentment.

“Here they come,” Daruk’s voice rumbled over to her, and Mipha pulled her herself out of her self pity to join the others. She could just make out two figures emerging from the mountain’s base and heading for the gate. Slowly. Very slowly. This did not bode well. Already Mipha could feel a heaviness in the air long before she could make out their faces. Zelda walked ahead, staring at her feet moving one in front of the other as if fascinated by them, Link behind her as her guard like always. She heard Urbosa exhale deeply, but Revali and Daruk still held out hope, waiting with bated breath for confirmation from the princess herself.

For several moments, Mipha just looked on silently and listened. Daruk broke the silence, and Zelda despondently replied that no, her sealing magic had not awakened. Revali’s face morphed into a strange hybrid of disappointment and impatience, whether on the princess’ behalf or not it was impossible to tell. Urbosa was the only one to assure her that she had done everything she could and it was simply not meant to be. And in hearing that, all Mipha could think of was how she would react if it was her in Zelda’s shoes.

While she knew she was regarded well among the Zora for her kindness and sweet nature, she was also fully aware of how underestimated she was as a diplomat. Often the elders would try to take advantage of her generous spirit and were shocked when she would shoot them down. She knew of the whispers behind her back, accusations that she must have had help in taming Vah Ruta and could not possibly have figured it out herself. And worst of all, the most prejudiced among them blamed her fond regard for Hylians on her deep feelings for one of them.

Her eyes fell on Link, causing her heart to sink like a stone to the pit of her stomach. He wasn’t paying attention to a single thing the others were saying, their empty words of sympathy or deliberations on what to do next. His lovely blue eyes, glistening like the gems at the bottom of the pools in her home domain, were fixated solely on Zelda. The very thing Mipha had been avoiding for weeks was staring her right in the face and she had no way to run from it. His heart was reaching out to his wife, letting her know without words that he was there for her in the midst of her grief, and Mipha could not curse it. She could not bring herself to curse Hylia nor the spirit of the ancient Princess Ruto for the cruel hand fate had dealt her. With that single glimpse of the tenderness in his eyes, Mipha knew it was all over for her.

But this was not about the Zora princess doomed to forever lose her heart to the hero. This was about the Zora princess who could not bear to see another royal daughter beaten down as she had been, watching Zelda sink further into despair. Her friend who had sought her out personally to represent the Zora people, congratulated and encouraged her in controlling her Divine Beast, who had all the makings of a grand ruler if she were only given the chance. She had no idea what to say that might possibly console her, nor any valuable advice. This sealing magic, it seemed as though it needed to be accessed from somewhere deep inside her heart. Not unlike…

Mipha inhaled gently. _ It’s like healing. It’s just like healing! _ There was so much she felt in every inch of her mind, heart and soul as one to bring forth her power to aid the injured that it was almost overwhelming. Love for her people. Her father. Her dear baby brother Sidon. And most beloved of all…

_ Of course. _If it was true, that Zelda loved Link as much as Link clearly cared for her, it was bound to break through. Perhaps all was not lost against Calamity Ganon after all.

“If I may…” Mipha began, her voice dry from seldom use, but stepping forward eagerly just the same.

And Zelda finally looked up, a tiny sliver of hope in her dimmed eyes.

* * *

They had to get to Fort Hateno.

Perhaps if Link kept this singular goal in his head, repeating it over and over, it would drown out everything else. _ Get to Fort Hateno. Get Zelda to Fort Hateno. _ It had been easier when they were running, slamming through trees and mud in the heavy downpour, stumbling, sprinting, _ anything _just to keep moving forward.

It was here. Swift, without warning, devastating. And not a single one of them was prepared. Malice had consumed the castle in a matter of moments, guardians swarming the streets of Castle Town, corrupted and ordered to do nothing but destroy every home and person in their path. Zelda had been desperate to do something to help, but Link knew better. This was a lost cause and so he had forced her to retreat with him.

_ Coward. _He was supposed to face Ganon head on, it had been Daruk’s plan they all agreed to. The Champions had retreated far away from Hyrule Field to fetch their Divine Beasts, but it was all too clear what had happened and why the four-sided assault never came. In a single moment, standing in the middle of the Central Square surrounded by flames, anguished screams and the rapid tones of the guardians’ lasers, Link had a choice to make.

The clear hero’s choice would have been to storm the castle and fight Ganon anyway. Ever since he was twelve and the Sword had chosen him, he had been bombarded with stories of his legacy. Link, the hero of Hyrule, and his many reincarnations over thousands of years. They all wielded this blade and destroyed the King of Evil, maintaining peace until the end of their lifetimes. And then, several generations later, the cycle began once more. Over and over. And Link, like his predecessors before him, bore this same responsibility no matter the odds.

But something else had also struck Link about his past lives. Despite their common goal, every one of those young men was different. Some were serious, some were playful, some verbal, some mute like himself. All of them had known a beautiful woman named Zelda who placed her unwavering faith in them. And some of them had even loved her, cherished her, gone to the ends of the earth to keep her safe. This same princess, whose hand had clutched Link’s so hard that her nails pinched his skin, coughing from ash as she gazed up in horror at the destruction that had befallen her home.

She was right in the middle of the worst of the desolation. _ No. _ She couldn’t be there. Link had no time to get her someplace safe and come back to fight the Calamity alone. At this swift rate, it would be far too late by then. It was one or the other. Link was the hero reborn. As a fighter and a lover. Tearing away into the forest, weaving in and out of trees and boulders and desperate to never _ ever _ let go of Zelda’s hand, he made his decision to be the latter.

Eventually his wife could not run any farther, crumbling from the agony of her losses she believed were brought on by her own failures. As Link cradled her beneath the torrential sky, the two of them covered in the mud they had involuntarily chosen to sit in, he tried to keep his mind focused on their destination.

_ We have to go. _ But Zelda’s sobs, wracking her entire body so violently that he was sure she would lose her voice, kept him rooted in place. _ No, let her be. _

_ But we have to move. They’ll catch up with us. _ King Rhoam was dead. That meant Link’s father was dead. They had barely exchanged two words to each other since their falling out when his secret marriage to Zelda was discovered. His father, raising him alone for years, playing with him in the yard, holding him after a nightmare. _ Get to Fort Hateno… _ The tears welled up hot and fast, Link’s head wilting down into the crook of Zelda’s neck, curling his arms more snugly around her trembling form.

_ Get out of here. We _ _ have _ _ to get out of here! _ Aryll… she was only twelve. He had promised he would see her that night. That night, when her wish would come true and Zelda told everyone in the kingdom that she had married her appointed knight. She would have been at the castle getting everything ready when… _ Just move. _Link’s shoulders shook, feeling Zelda’s arms wind around his back and pull him closer. She breathed his name in pity, but he wasn’t crying. He didn’t have time to start crying. The hero fights and the hero loves, but the hero never has time to mourn.

_ Just stand up and move! You’ll both die if you stay here! _

_ Revali… Urbosa... _ His heart twisted even more painfully, pushing the tears out in warm rivulets. _ Daruk… Mipha... _ He should have told them how much he cared for each and every one of them, though he never showed it. _ You can’t let them die in vain. You have to go. _ He finally forced himself to stop shuddering like a child, smoothing down the princess’ slimy blonde hair to soothe her before giving her a kiss next to her ear.

Slowly, ever so gently, he lifted Zelda into a sitting position, watching the rain and dirt stream over her blotchy face. _ “Can you stand?” _he signed. She nodded, holding onto his shoulders as they both rose clumsily, feet squelching in the mounds of mud that had accumulated. Would this rain ever stop?

Their mad dash had slowed to a brisk walk, sticking to the paths that ran between the thick tree trunks so they remained hidden from view. Dueling Peaks Stable was not far from here, and as much as he wanted to use that as shelter, he couldn’t risk putting those people in fatal danger. Beyond there, in less than a mile, was Fort Hateno. They could make it. They _ had _to.

A familiar scuttling stopped both of their hearts cold. Magnetic whiring, electric beeping tones crawling ever closer, Zelda letting out a gasp as she clutched Link’s arm in a death grip. They were hidden, but somehow those guardians had tracked them down. Of course. They worked for Ganon now. And while Ganon had no problem disposing of innocent lives, they were not ultimately who he was after. He wanted Link and Zelda. As he always had and always would. Wanted their blood so that Hyrule would fall to him. And he would stop at nothing until they were eradicated.

Link pushed on through the trees, ignoring the guardians in hot pursuit as best he could, praying to Hylia that Zelda would not trip and fall behind him. Even with the muddy ground and in her ceremonial gown, she was incredibly adept at keeping up with him, even pushing herself ahead as they entered the Ash Swamp. Link’s heart sank. It was a wide open plain with absolutely nowhere to conceal themselves.

“Go,” Zelda urged, pushing him in the back ahead of her. “Get to the Fort. I’ll distract them.”

Link had frankly never heard a more idiotic command leave his princess’ mouth. _ “You can’t.” _

“I may not have a weapon, but I’m fast. I can dodge their blasts, trust me.”

_ “No.” _He refused, not as her knight, but as the man she loved. Whirling her around, he pushed her in the direction of the Fort and wordlessly unsheathed the Master Sword.

“What are you doing?!” Zelda cried out in a strangled voice, her fingers slipping in the steady rain as she grabbed for his arm brace. “Y-you can’t Link, you’ll—!”

_ “I’m the chosen one. It’s what you’ve always told me, isn’t it?” _ He managed a rueful smile which sent Zelda into a fit of sobs, her fists crashing into his chest as her nails scrambled for his blue tunic, burying her face against it.

“You can’t! You have to stay with me! I-I can’t—!” Link’s free arm came up around her and he gently swayed her, listening to the whirring of the approaching guardians getting louder and louder. He shut his eyes and breathed deeply, trying to calm his racing heart. He had no shield, no armor, he was completely unprepared. But it didn’t matter. If he didn’t fight, if he didn’t at least do his best to push them back, Zelda would die. He could not be the first hero to let the princess die. He could not be the husband she needed if he didn’t willingly lay down his life for her.

He felt her hands cup his face, forcing him to look into her streaming emerald eyes. Those eyes said everything without a single word. _ Don’t leave me. You can’t leave me, too. _ The guardians were closing in fast. Someone had to put themselves in the line of fire to stop them. And it _ had _to be him.

Swallowing hard, he leaned in to press his forehead to hers, her thumb brushing over his lips. With every ounce of strength within his mangled vocal chords, he mustered a sound just over a whisper.

_ “I love you, Zelda.” _

“Link!” He had already broken free of her and was halfway towards the guardians’ ambush. They circled him and Zelda, his wife, disappeared from his line of sight. Maybe forever. With trembling hands, the sword that sealed the darkness began to glow at the ready.

_ “Link!!!” _

* * *

“I’m here.”

Everything was screaming in pain. He couldn’t even open his eyes. _ Where am I? A spring? _ He was completely immersed in very cold water. It had to be a spring.

A voice broke through the haze. He fought to return to consciousness, to follow that voice he knew anywhere. But the haze was conquering him, closing in to drag him under.

“You’ll be alright now, Link. This shrine is fully operational.” 

_The shrine…_ _Wait… the one that brings people back from the dead? _Was he dead? No, how could he hear Zelda if he was dead? The dark haze began to overtake his ears, the surrounding sounds growing muffled. _No… no Zelda, come back…_

“Link.”

_ I’m here… _His eyes just wouldn’t open. He couldn’t see her one last time if this really was his end. Water droplets rained onto his face. But he was indoors, wasn’t he?

“This shrine, you— it may cost you your memories.”

_ My…? I’ll… I’ll forget everything? _ Zelda was crying again, cradling and caressing him, and he realized the water he felt was her tears. Her crying became softer, and Link strained to cling to that voice.

“You won’t remember the Calamity, the Champions, your family…”

_ I don’t want this! _His mind was screaming louder than his voice ever could, trying to move so he could get up, get out of this pool and keep fighting. But all he could manage was to make a single finger twitch under the water’s surface.

“And you won’t remember me.”

_ I will. I’ll always remember. How could I ever forget you? _ His chest ached deep beneath his wounds, his heart fracturing into sharp tiny pieces. _ Don’t do this. Please Zelda, don’t make me do this. _

“I’m sorry. But you must live. You _ must _survive this.”

_ Let me die! Let me die so you can live! _If he wasn’t being suffocated, dragged under by the tortuous realm of unconsciousness, he was sure he would be weeping openly. It was true, he would rather die than live in a world where he didn’t remember Zelda was his wife. That he loved her beyond the realms of space and time itself. And if he had to, he would do everything in his power to make sure that when he woke up, he remembered all of that beyond a shadow of a doubt.

His ring finger, the single finger he managed to move in his stasis. The wooden ring, the symbol of their union, was still there.

“I love you.”

_ My Zelda… I love you, too… _ Her lips captured his, salty and wet but so tender. He longed to reciprocate the taste of her passion.

“I will always love you. And my faith in your return will never perish.”

_ I will find you. _His head plunged, submerged in the icy pool against his will. He never heard her voice again.

_ I’ll find you again, my princess. And I will remember you. _

_ No matter how long it takes... _

**Author's Note:**

> Kudos are great, but comments are better :)


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